Online Reporter
UNADDRESSED mental health challenges, unresolved trauma and substance abuse are among the factors that can contribute to intimate partner killings, with counselling professionals calling for greater access to psychological support and an end to the stigma surrounding mental health.
In a statement commemorating World Mental Health Day 2026, Kahle Counselling Hub said society needed to look beyond the criminal justice system and address underlying psychological and behavioural issues that could contribute to extreme violence in intimate relationships.
“As we commemorate World Mental Health Day this year, let us focus on the devastating rise of intimate partner killings that have become a scourge in our societies. We need to look beyond criminal justice and address the silent fuel that is driving this crisis: the deteriorating mental health that is not addressed,” the organisation said.
The counselling practice said intimate partner killings were often preceded by toxic relationships characterised by trauma, isolation and emotional difficulties, which could culminate in anger, bitterness and violence.
It said difficulties in managing emotions and coping with relationship breakdowns could contribute to violent behaviour, particularly when one partner attempted to leave a relationship.
However, mental health challenges do not excuse violence or remove individual responsibility for abusive behaviour.
Kahle Counselling Hub identified childhood trauma and maltreatment, untreated post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depressive symptoms, substance abuse, controlling behaviour, harmful gender norms and economic pressures as some of the factors that could contribute to violence in intimate relationships.
The organisation said children exposed to traumatic environments could develop unhealthy ways of handling conflict, while untreated trauma and depression could increase emotional distress and impulsivity.
It also warned that heavy alcohol consumption and binge drinking could impair judgement and increase aggression, particularly when combined with other risk factors.
On relationship dynamics, the counselling practice said attempts by one partner to control the other’s decisions, sexual autonomy or financial resources could create conditions for abuse.
It added that harmful beliefs about masculinity, including the perception that men should dominate their partners, could also contribute to violence.
Economic hardship and changes in traditional breadwinning roles were identified as additional sources of stress that could intensify conflict within households.
Kahle Counselling Hub said the consequences of intimate partner killings extended beyond the immediate victims, leaving families to grapple with grief, trauma, depression, stigma and financial difficulties.
Children who lose parents in such circumstances could also be left vulnerable to orphanhood and its associated challenges.
The organisation called for greater efforts to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health treatment, particularly among men who may feel pressured by societal expectations to suppress their emotions.
“Prevention starts with breaking the stigma that prevents people, particularly men, from seeking professional psychological help,” it said.
“Society frequently socialises men to suppress vulnerability, which often causes deep emotional distress to transform into rage.”
The counselling practice also urged communities to challenge the belief that relationship problems should remain private, saying professional counselling should be viewed as a means of support rather than a sign of weakness.
“ We must normalise therapy as a tool for survival, not a sign of weakness,” the organisation said.
Kahle Counselling Hub is a registered practice offering counselling and training services in Zimbabwe and beyond. It says its work focuses on empowering individuals to cope with everyday challenges and improve their mental well-being.
